‘Online video combined with smart strategy reaches people’s emotions, builds your brand and increases your credibility.’

That’s the strap line of a free workshop taking place at @FER in Geneva on 22 February from 09:30-12:00.

The event aims to show how video can be used to grow your business as two companies, So Money and 23 Video, share their international experience of using online video to support organisations in transforming their communications. There will also be a case study from Genève Servette Hockey Club which has used online video in the Swiss market.

For more details of the event or to register, click here >

Thank you to Maria Wilhelmsson for her inspiring talk at the GCN meeting on Wednesday 25 January (Your voice as a communications tool, are you using yours?), and to the Communicators who participated in the active session. We hope that you were able to take away a few good insights to improve your communication.

We have uploaded a few photos, visible on the left of this screen. If you don’t want your picture on the site, please send us an email.

For further information on Maria, her voice coaching and workshops in the region check her site: www.voximpact.com.

Look forward to our next event in the spring.

Melitta, Glenn, Patricia

For those interested, the next Startup Weekend Lausanne will be held from March 2-4, 2012 at the Rolex Learning Center in Lausanne.

Anyone interested can attend and present ideas for new start up ventures in 60 seconds.  The favorites are then explored in different groups arranged by theme. Teams are between 4-10 people, and consist of about 50% technical people and 50% non-technical. You then spend the entire weekend getting advice from professional mentors, and building a proof of concept, demo, or sometimes even a finished product, to present in front of a panel of judges on Sunday night.

Most ideas are web & tech focused, but almost any new business needs a web, marketing, and business strategy regardless if it is tech centric.

The event will be held in French and English. That means you can present an idea and work all weekend in your preferred language.

For further information click here  or email: switzerland@startupweekend.org

We are pleased to announce our first event for 2012:

Lunchtime seminar – Your voice as a communications tool, are you using yours?

Your voice is part of your identity. Based on your voice, listeners will make judgments about your status, credibility, like-ability and emotional state.

So, influence the way you sound and you will have more power over how you – and your message – come across.

In this interactive session, you will learn about the voice, how yours has developed and how to use it to its full capacity through exercises that will help you start developing a strong, vibrant and dynamic voice.
 
Date: Wednesday 25 January 2012
Time: 12h30 to 14h00
Location*: The Swiss Press Club, Route de Ferney 106, La Pastorale, 1202 Geneva.
Fee: CHF 15.- per person includes drinks and snacks – payable at the door.
 
Speaker: Maria Wilhelmsson is passionate about helping professionals find their authentic voice and getting their message across in a dynamic and powerful way. A trained singer and accomplished performer; Maria has always been fascinated by the impact of someone’s voice – and all the things that affect it. In her coaching, Maria blends her knowledge of the voice and performing arts with her 15 years international business experience to help individuals strengthen their professional and personal impact, helping them to excel in all their spoken communication and interactions. www.voximpact.com
 
Places are limited due to the venue size, so please register early for the event.
 
Register here for the event>>
 
We look forward to seeing you there.

Glenn, Patricia, Vincent, Melitta
*Location sponsored by the International University in Geneva.

An interesting workshop proposed by a GCN member:

Essential VoiceWork – Full Day Immersion Workshop for women

Do you sometimes find it hard to make yourself hear and understood?
Have you ever felt that your voice does not represent you the way you want to be perceived?
Do people tell you that your voice is monotone, annoying or not assertive enough?

Essential VoiceWork has been designed for women wishing to develop a dynamic speaking voice to enhance their professional and personal impact. You will get individual voice coaching and at the same time learn from others in a small and supportive group of maximum 6 women.

This full day immersion will provide you with insights, tools and exercises to help you:

• Develop more vocal power with less effort through healthy speaking habits.
• Bring your voice to life using body alignment and profound breathing.
• Project a vibrant and rich sound by optimal use of your built-in amplifiers.
• Inject more energy into your voice by focusing on flow and direction.
• Speak with clarity and assertiveness by committing to words and sounds.

We will start the day by analyzing your voice and your speaking style. Based on your own perception and the feedback that you receive, we will agree on a few key areas to focus your voice work on. You will proceed to open up the different resonators in your body and discover how they colour your voice.

You will explore your vocal range in order to have more tools for expressing your thoughts and emotions. By means of various exercises, you will learn how to inject more energy into your voice, and to be more present in your communication. You will practice techniques for a clear, dynamic and assertive speaking style.

Price: CHF 345, incl. refreshments, workbook and website access.
Saturday January 14, 2012, at 10:00-16:00
Contact: maria.wilhelmsson@voximpact.com
Place: Dare to Glow Center
21bis, rue de la Navigation, Genève
Group size: Max 6 women.